CRUISING. 93 



now-a-days, by the great fleets which annually sail 

 from whaling ports of the United States, that they 

 often emigrate in a body, and change their locality 

 by thousands of miles. So it happens that parts 

 of the sea which were years ago famous cruising 

 gi-junds, are now entirely deserted, while every 

 j' ear new grounds are discovered, and the enter- 

 piisirg discoverer rewarded with a full saip, and a 

 speed}- clearance for home. 



Whilo making a passage, a whaleship is managed 

 much as merchant vessels are. The crew is divided 

 into two parts or watches, and all the regulations in 

 regard to making and taking in sail, which prevail 

 in the merchant service, are here also enforced. 

 But once on whaling ground, the whole economy of 

 the ship is changed. Each boat's crew now 

 constitutes a watch, of itself, and the night, from 

 six P. M. to six A. M., is divided between them, 

 making in a four boat ship three hours to each. 

 During the day the vessel stands along under 

 easy sail, for days together tacking and beating 

 to windward: then if no whales are seen, going 

 off before the wind, or returning to the leeward 

 extreme of that portion of the ocean the captain 

 has marked out for his "grounds," only again to 

 bea slowly back to the windward end. 



Long tacks are made, and no expedient neglected 

 for making a thorough survey of the surface sailed 

 over At sundown each day the light sails are 

 taken in, the topsail close reefed, and the vessel ie 

 then brought close to the wind, /with the sails c 



